Devices for folding dough are known in the art. They generally comprise folding shoes supported above the conveyor, wherein the shoes are bolted, or otherwise connected to the support. The folding shoes may comprise massive parts, as for instance known from the U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,990 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,223 or may be formed differently, for instance by rods.
Although these systems fulfil a certain need, there are several disadvantages to the devices according to the state of the art. During use the folding shoes are constantly in contact with the dough. Inevitably, remainings of the dough stick to the shoes, which—as a result—pollute. This gives rise to the need for cleaning the device, and in particular the shoes, on a regular basis.
With the devices according to the state of the art, this is a time consuming and cumbersome activity, due to the plurality of fastening means that have to be loosened. Additionally, as it is the case in U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,223, when removing the folding shoes, their correct setting is also gone, and the device requires fine adjustment before it can be taken back in use.